


Far Away

by kjadie



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, please somnus isn’t a bad person i swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 07:47:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18384077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjadie/pseuds/kjadie
Summary: Somnus comforts Ardyn and helps him cope with the nightmares he gets from the Scourge.





	Far Away

A chilled breeze slowly flew through the window to across the face of a young man. He didn’t need to open his eyes to know that he was alone. Awoken by the lack of warmth and the emptiness of the room, Somnus slowly blinked open his eyes, weary from sleepiness. A few candles were lit next to him, and the colors of the curtains and painted murals on the walls glowed under the faint light.

He slowly sat up and looked around the room. Nothing was out of place, not even their shoes from the day. He didn’t bother to put his own on, knowing that his brother wouldn’t be far. There was no telling what hour of the night it was or how long he had been alone for. The only way to gain clearance on the state of the evening was to go outside. He rose slowly not from hesitation but from peace and relaxation that the setting brought. 

He walked up the stairs with silent steps and once he was at the top, he looked glanced to the tiled roof and the small courtyard below. At the highest point on the balcony stood his brother, leaning over it with his head between his arms. As his brother approached, he didn’t move or shift at all. Heavy from the visions he had earlier in the night, Ardyn still didn’t shift when Somnus walked behind him and wrapped his arms around him. He waited to feel a breath or heartbeat, and felt nothing but stillness instead.

“It was just a dream,” Somnus said in an easy, soothing voice. The tranquility in his words and the gentleness of his touch came too easy, from countless nights of similar scenarios before.

“It never feels like one,” Ardyn had to clear his throat halfway through speaking, from the cruel joke that sleep left him with. He looked up from his arms and opened his hands for the faint light of the moon to illuminate them and stared vacantly at them.

Below them were the lights of lanterns strung from stone houses and the columns of marble temples. Their orange glow soothed the sharp blueness that the buildings reflected from the night sky. At eye height were the tops of olive trees which shadowed small hedges and flowers. The serenity of the agora contrasted greatly to the busyness that the morning always brings. But for now, at night and under the moon, nothing stirred.

Too lost in his thoughts to feel the warm hands on his, Ardyn cried silent tears that couldn’t leave his face. Shortly after, Somnus hopped onto the stone railing and rocked his heels on the tiles. He glanced at Ardyn and took the dagger from out of his hand too casually for Ardyn to notice, until he heard it get chucked onto the ground.

“Thank you.”

“That bad?” Somnus said under his breath and sighed out of sympathy.

Ardyn looked at him with dark eyes that reflected the moon and the faint lights of lanterns. Somnus looked long enough to see his own reflection, then closed his eyes with a smile and kissed his forehead before placing an arm around his shoulder.

“Do you think you can sleep?”

“Hell no, not after that,” he snapped. His voice was tense with sadness and anger, but none of it was directed at his brother. He brushed away Somnus’ arm with his shoulder and walked away with frustration in his step. 

“Sorry,” he said more for himself than for his brother.

Somnus gently held his hand, which prompted Ardyn to turn around. Surprised by his brother’s kindness, Ardyn’s eyes darted around as if trying to find an answer to rationalize it when Somnus hugged him. He felt Somnus trace his fingers through his hair, then leaned against his head. Somnus finally felt his breathing and closed his eyes in thanks.

“It’s not your fault,” he sighed quietly, “I’ll stay up with you.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Sucks to suck. I already decided.” He pulled his cloak off and wrapped it around Ardyn to warm his slow movements. He placed an arm over his shoulder and they walked together down the steps, lighting oil lamps as they went.

They walked down to their courtyard. Ardyn went to light one of the torches in their yard but when he turned to light more, they had already been lit by Somnus. Somnus squeezed his hand, then disappeared to a room. Ardyn crossed his arms and leaned against a column then tilted his head to fall into the trance of the night sky.

A familiar tune strummed from behind the walls next to him. Ardyn smiled, and Somnus reappeared. His steps were large and graceful, and he waltzed with the lyre in his hand.

“Breakfast is on the first one to fall asleep,” he said without looking up.

“You know you’re going to lose. I think you secretly like cooking for me,” he smirked and glanced at Somnus from the side, who stopped playing for a moment to lean on Ardyn’s shoulder. He whispered in his ear:

“You found me out.” 

Ardyn smiled out of gratitude for his brother’s hard attempts to cheer him up. They sat down and to keep them both warm, Ardyn shared the cloak that rested over him. Touched, Somnus transitioned his melody to a slow, tender one that made Ardyn rest on his shoulder.

“That one’s new.”

“No one’s heard it but you.”

“Does that make me special?”

“Maybe,” Somnus smiled. He glanced down at his brother who rested on his lap, and then to the lanterns that illuminated their small courtyard. Each time they flickered, he would strum a high note. He enjoyed playing along with the twinkling lights and harmonized his melody to theirs.

“Where have I heard this one?” Ardyn squinted as if it would help him sift through his memories.

“Not sure, I’ve never played it.”

Fiddling with some loose strings of the cloak, Ardyn tilted his head closer to his brother, who kept playing while he fought with his thoughts. After some time, his face softened and his eyes lit with gentleness.

“You’re playing this without knowing where it’s from,” he said in a voice full of emotion.

“And where is it from?” Somnus sighed, slightly annoyed at his brother’s self importance.

“I used to sing this for you,” Ardyn said quietly.

“There’s no way...”

“And you remember it.”

“Really?” Somnus asked under his breath, mostly to himself. He smiled, both amazed and satisfied that he was playing a melody that they had long forgotten.

Ardyn closed his eyes while he drummed the rhythm on Somnus’ arm. There was a sweet irony in hearing the song that he would sing in a similar circumstance years before. He listened intently, savouring every second, while they lied underneath the stars. His breaths became slow and his binks became long. Somnus softened his song until his quiet humming was almost louder than his music. Suddenly, Ardyn hopped to his feet and started pacing.

“I can’t sleep, I can’t sleep. I can’t sleep,” he said, hiding behind his hands. After a few steps in one direction, he’d twirl around and take a few steps back from where he came.

“You that scared of making breakfast?” Somnus said without looking up.

“I’m probably less scared of my cooking than you are,” Ardyn said quickly. 

“You’re probably right,” Somnus chuckled once to himself then plucked an off-key string and tapped on his lyre. 

As soon as Ardyn heard the tap, he stopped his restless pacing and closed his eyes to focus on slowing his frantic breaths. He clenched his fists with frustration that such a small sound could bring to him. He didn’t notice Somnus stand up, but his embrace pulled him out from his racing thoughts and into the cool evening.

“I can’t sleep.”

His voice cracked but Somnus held onto him more closely, to steal him away from any horrors that his dreams left him with. 

“Stay with me,” he whispered into his brother’s chest.

“You don’t have to be afraid, love. I’m with you,” Somnus said with a warm smile. He kissed Ardyn’s forehead, giving him the blessing of a silent, understood promise between them.

“I’ll be here.”

・・・

 

Gasping and pulling at his hair, grabbing and clutching at his chest, Ardyn jolts awake to the cool night air. The motion wakes his brother as well, who immediately holds and hushes him to soothe his panic.

When Ardyn feels the gentle pressure of the hand on his back, his breathing slows to a threshold where he can speak, but he can’t open his eyes.

“There’s ice. In every direction, as far as you can see. It’s thick and there are mountains of snow and ice in the distance. I’m walking to them but massive waves of water start rolling in and I can’t swim. It’s—I’m—they keep pulling me further and further back and I can’t fight it. And eventually I make it to land. It’s so cold. So cold. There are people there. And a few buildings. They’re not made of ice, I’m not sure what they’re made of. There aren’t a lot of people, maybe less than ten, but they give me food, shelter, and a fire for warmth. They tell me stories about living there, what it’s like, and I take a walk outside. All the ice around me breaks off and collapses. It’s so cold, so cold. I try to grab onto a piece but it keeps slipping and I can’t get on it and I know I’m going to drown and I—”

Somnus interrupts him before he has the chance to cry.

“You’re okay, it’s over now, you’re awake. Here,” he grabs a blanket and puts it over Ardyn to tuck him in before laying it over himself. “See? You’re warm. You are…next to me. And we are in our bedroom. And we have blankets and a ton of pillows,” he holds Ardyn’s hand and guides it over their blanket. “See? They’re soft, and you’re warm. You’re here with me. You’re safe.”

Ardyn nods slowly. He leans on his brother’s shoulder and plays with their interlaced fingers.

He never talks about his nightmares. Never. Somnus didn’t want to stop him from talking until he had to, and spent the entire time comforting him by rubbing his back.

Tonight, he didn’t wake up sweating or screaming. But that isn’t saying much. Even though tonight wasn’t a bad night, the nightmares getting better over time is unlikely. At least he could breath when he woke up, Somnus thinks. He’s thankful for that.

A shot of tension courses through Ardyn’s body and he starts to fidget with the fingers they’re holding together. He closes his eyes again.

“It’s over. So, stay here with me please?” Somnus gently asks, trying to coax Ardyn from his mind and back to in his arms and under the blankets. “Can you do a small thing for me, and tell me what you see in our room?”

“The window and the curtains, the candle—”

“Keep your eyes open, silly.”

“I’m trying, I’m trying.” Ardyn smiles, “And I see you, of course.”

Smiling out of sympathy, Somnus instinctively pulls him closer to protect him from the cold, or any harm that could come their way. He whispers soft, quiet shushes in his ears and gently brushes Ardyn’s hair.

The warmth and compassion is irresistible. Nestling onto his chest, Ardyn uses his shoulder for a pillow, He’s so much better than any other pillow they share, and Ardyn welcomes the substitution.

“What do you hear?”

“The crickets.” Ardyn interlaces their fingers together and intertwines their legs. He sighs an easy sigh, “And your breathing, and your heartbeat.” 

“See? You’re okay, you’re awake. It’s over.” Somnus kisses his down his forehead, and then a tiny peck on on the tip of his nose. “Do you think you can sleep again?”

“Maybe. I’m so tired, my eyes are tired but…” 

When Ardyn closes his heavy eyes, he sees only the water and sheet of ice in front of him. The cold, frozen landscape makes his fingers twitch and his breathing slow but a few squeezes pull him back to the coziness of their room.

“It’s over. You’re here with me. Keep your eyes open, okay? Can you do that for me?”

“I’ll try.”

“Good. Keep them open! You’re not dreaming anymore. This world is empty without you in it, so stay here with me okay?” He stops to think for a little, “Hey, can you do something for me?”

“Of course,  _ silly _ . You know I’ll do anything for you.” Boop.

Somnus rolls over onto his side, his back facing Ardyn, but he forgets something important. He leans over his shoulder and leaves Ardyn with a kiss on the cheek, then rolls back over on his side.

“Count my scars for me.”

He doesn’t know how cute he is, and he especially doesn’t know what he’s in for, Ardyn thinks.

Adorable and blissfully unaware, Somnus lies there, waiting. Ardyn lightly glides his fingers over each scar and traces patterns between them to connect each one with invisible lines. 

“That tickles!!” Somnus pulls away before his demeanour is compromised by tickles. “Count them out loud!!”

“Okay, okay…” This time, Ardyn pokes each one.

“… one… two… thr—oh? Is this a new beauty mark? I think you have a new one. On your back.”

He kisses the little beauty mark to show it all the love it deserves.

“Stop!! You’re tickling me!!”

Ardyn kisses it again, then assaults him with an attack of tickles. It’s not difficult; Somnus is  _ so  _ ticklish, especially on his back. Neither of them can stop giggling and laughing, and Somnus squirms and thrashes around, helplessly trying to resist. Both their lungs ache from laughing and rolling around, and Somnus has to grab onto Ardyn’s arms to make him stop.

Out of breath and exhausted from the laughing and giggling and Ardyn rests on his back, relaxing. He closes his eyes and slows his breathing while Somnus twirls around a strand of his hair.

“You’re brave, you know that right?” Somnus asks, tracing his finger over Ardyn’s forehead and down his nose.

“How am I brave,” Ardyn chuckles lightly.

“For trying to fall asleep again. You’re like… a little lion.” He pets Ardyn’s hair.

“A little lion. I like the sound of that.” He snarls lightly, and it gets a giggle out of Somnus. “I like your laugh, too.”

“Fall asleep with me.”

Ardyn closes his eyes and expects to see the barren sheet of ice in front of him. But he doesn’t. Behind his eyelids, he sees his brother smiling at him, and he opens his eyes to the same sight. He blinks a few times just to be sure that it isn’t a trick, that he’s really here, awake and warm. 

They both fall asleep with smiles on their faces.

 

・・・

 

Gasping, Ardyn jolts upright. Again.

“It was a dream,” he tells himself, reminding himself.  He looks outside—the moon is in the sky, so it’s still nighttime. There’s a blanket over him and he fidgets with the stray threads on it. Warm. There’s a pillow next to him and he runs his hands over it. Soft.

He reminds himself: he’s here with his little brother. He’s safe.

“Did you have another dream?” Somnus asks, his voice is soft, quiet and heavy from sleep. 

Looking at him like this, Ardyn feels too guilty to respond until Somnus rolls over and sees that he’s awake.

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

“It’s alright.” Somnus wraps his hands around him. “It just means that you’re letting me sleep in tomorrow. But, you’re here now, okay?” He squeezes his hand.

“I know. This one wasn’t as bad. There was a man. I’m not sure who he was but he was in a cave made of ice. Two people were holding him by his feet and hands, and they stretched him apart until they pulled him in two.”

… wasn’t as bad?

It’s unsettling how casually he speaks. But if these are the kinds of dreams he can talk about… what are the dreams he can’t talk about…? Somnus ponders this for a moment, then holds onto him so dearly. 

Maybe it was the look on his face, or how he held onto him, because Ardyn must’ve seen the look on his face.

“Did I scare you?”

“No,” Somnus says, sitting up. “I just wish you could sleep without being afraid.”

“I’m here with you, right? What did you call me?” Ardyn hardly remembers the time between both dreams. The interval between them feels more like a dream to Ardyn then the actual dreams. But he remembers a faint memory of a word. “A lion?”

“My little lion.”

Somnus is already on the edge of sleep when Ardyn purrs against his neck, and the sweet sound 

He’s so tired, he has to keep blinking just to stay awake. But he needs to wake up, to stay up, to keep Ardyn company. To keep him from being alone. It takes all of his strength and more to sit up enough to snatch his lyre.

At this time of night, like so many nights before, Somnus would play a slow melody to soothe Ardyn, to help him sleep. But the biggest problem for Somnus right now is staying awake. He plays a snappy, lively song, mostly from muscle memory. It’s the kind of song they hear when they go out drinking and bar hopping. It’s one that Ardyn would love to dance to.  His eyes light up and he clings onto Somnus’ arm. Both of them bounce their feet to the rhythm.


End file.
